MANILA, Philippines — Basilan Starhorse and Quezon Province both won in double overtime on Monday — a first in local basketball annals — in the Manny Pacquiao Presents MPBL 2025 Season playoff round at the Malolos Sports and Convention Center in Bulacan.
The Basilan Starhorse Portmasters wasted a 20-point spread in the homestretch of regulation play, but recovered their bearing to nip the Gensan Warriors, 116-114, and force a Game 3 decider in their South Division quarterfinal series.
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Jervy Cruz drilled in a triple with 8.2 seconds left to lift the Portmasters past the Warriors, who topped Game 1, 85-78, on October 13 at the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena City.
The Quezon Huskers banked on a drive by Judel Fuentes with 2.7 seconds left to extract a 104-102 victory over the Mindoro Tamaraws in the first game and advance to the semifinal round of the South Division.
Quezon also beat Mindoro, 83-74, on October 10 in Lucena City.
Sherwin Concepcion shone the most for Basilan with 26 points, laced by seven triples, and 14 rebounds, followed by veteran Alex Cabagnot with 22 points, nine rebounds, six assists and two steals; Emman Calo with 17 points plus 12 rebounds; and Renzo Navarro with 11 points, five assists, two rebounds and two steals.
Ahead by nine points, the Portmasters pulled away when Concepcion turned hot, pouring 14 points behind four triples, in a 17-6 tear that put the count at 94-74 with 4:36 seconds left.
The Warriors, however, countered through Kyle Tolentino, Jack Corpuz and Nico Elorde to move within 86-96.
Still trailing, 90-99, with 36.7 seconds to go, the Warriors struck hard and bunched nine points, three each by Tolentino, Corpuz and Marwin Dionisio, to force overtime.
A triple by Elorde put Gensan on top, 106-104, but Calo responded with two charities in the dying seconds to extend the game anew.
Gensan got 27 points, 16 rebounds, three assists and two steals from Corpuz, who, however, committed a turnover with 4.1 seconds left to doom the Warriors, who drew 14 points and 11 rebounds from Dionisio; 14 points, six rebounds and six assists from Tolentino, 14 points, four rebounds and four assists from Elorde, and 11 points from Val Acuna.
Basilan and Gensan tangle for the right to challenge Quezon on Friday.
Mindoro had a chance to reverse the outcome, but Ino Comboy's buzzer-beating triple went airball.
RJ Ramirez completed a 3-point play to give the Tamaraws back the lead, 100-98, with 1:45 left. But Ljay Gonzales canned two free throws and Vince Magbuhos struck from under to regain control for Quezon.
Mindoro’s Filipino-American player Ashon Andrews tied the count at 102 on two charities with 21 seconds to go, but Fuentes capped his 21-point, 4-rebound, 4-assist performance with that lane incursion.
Ramirez made the second of two free throws with 30.9 seconds left, but Quezon was unable to convert and extend the game anew at 90-90.
Regulation play saw Mindoro lead by as many as 39-45, before Quezon rallied behind Vince Magbuhos, Alfrancis Tamsi and Gab Banal, eventually extending the game, 84-84.
Other Huskers who delivered for the reigning South champions were Tamsi with 16 points, four rebounds and two assists; Will Gozum with 14 points and six rebounds; Banal with 13 points, seven rebounds and five assists; and Magbuhos with 11 points, seven rebounds and three assists.
Mindoro drew 25 points, three rebounds, four steals and two assists from RJ Ramirez; 18 points and 13 rebounds from Andrews; 15 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and two steals from Bam Gamalinda; and 13 points, seven rebounds, five steals and four assists from Comboy.
The MPBL North Division playoffs continue at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City on Wednesday, with games pitting Pangasinan against Nueva Ecija at 6 p.m., and San Juan against Pasay at 8 p.m